Popgun toy



Nov. 26, 1968 J. w. RYAN ETAL 3,412,503

POPGUN TOY Filed Feb. 9, 1966 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 NOV. 26, 1968 w, RYAN ETAL 3,412,503

POPGUN TOY Filed Feb. 9, 1966 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 ar w Nov. 26, 1968 .1. w. RYAN ETAL POPGUN TOY 6 Sheets-Sheet S5 Filed Feb.

J. W. RYAN ETAL POPGUN TOY 6 Sheets-Sheet o /1VVI#762.S ,Ta/M w. Frau .1 isn't 7 5763010 III: Llffhudhhi Nov. 26, 1968 Filed Feb.

Nov. 26, 1968 J. w. RYAN ETAL POPG UN TOY 6.Sheets-Sheet R Filed Feb.

"Min Iii QWwMk United States atent 3,412,503 POPGUN TOY John W. Ryan, Bel-Air, and Lester T. Stormon, Manhattan Beach, Calif assignors to Mattel, Inc., Hawthorne, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Feb. 9, 1966, Ser. No. 526,268 9 Claims. (CI. 4684) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A gun housing having a plastic diaphragm and a pivoted trigger-actuated hammer. A coil spring surrounds the hammer pivot and both its ends engage the hammer on respectively opposite sides of the pivot with one of those ends projecting from the hammer to engage a fixed stop and load the spring when the trigger swings the hammer away from the diaphragm. The spring end leaves the fixed stop before the hammer strikes the diaphragm so that spring force is not exerted on the diaphragm when the hammer is at rest. Optional additional structure includes a spring driven flying hoop actuated by the hammer.

The present invention relates to a new and useful popgun toy more particularly to such a toy of the percussion-diaphragm type.

Popguns of the percussion-diaphragm type are known. One such gun, which is disclosed in Patent No. 1,205,498, employs a metallic diaphragm and a resilient hammer. The free end of the hammer normally extends on to the diaphragm and is lifted therefrom by a trigger. When the trigger releases the free end, the natural resilience in the hammer drives the free end into engagement with the diaphragm. While generally satisfactory, such popguns have the disadvantage that the striking force of the hammer must be minimized to prevent the diaphragm from becoming dented.

Other popguns employ plastic diaphragms. These guns have the disadvantage that plastic diaphragms has coldfiow characteristics resulting in deformation of the diaphragm by the constant pressure exerted thereon by the free end of the hammer which is normally biased into engagement with the diaphragm.

Another disadvantage with guns of the type which have a hammer normally biased into engagement with a diaphragm resides in the fact that the hammer remains in engagement with the diaphragm after striking a blow thereon, whereby the diaphragm is damped.

Another prior art popgun of the percussion-diaphragm type is disclosed in Patent No. 2,088,727. Although this pop gun employs a nonmetallic diaphragm and a hammer which is normally maintained out of engagement with the diaphragm, it has the disadvantage that the hammer damps the diaphragm by remaining in engagement therewith after being actuated until the actuating mechanism is reset for another firing cycle.

In view of the foregoing factors and conditions characteristic of popguns of the type which employ percussion-diaphragm means, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a new and useful popgun of the percussion-diaphragm type not subject to the disadvantages enumerated above and having a firing mechanism especially designed for actuating the diaphragm without exerting a preload on the diaphragm or the gun housing.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved diaphragm means for a popgun.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and useful hammer means for a popgun of the percussion-diaphragm type.

A further object of the present invention is to provide Patented Nov. 26, 1968 a normally unloaded spring means for the hammer of a percussion-diaphragm type popgun for bringing the hammer into engagement with the diaphragm only after the spring means has been loaded by the trigger.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a popgun of the type described in combination with a flying object which is propelled through the air when the gun is fired.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a popgun toy of the percussion-diaphragm type is provided. The toy includes housing means in which a percussion-diaphragm means is mounted. A hammer means is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends and includes a first free end extending over the diaphragm means and a second free end engageable by a trigger means for swinging the hammer means about its pivot.

The gun includes a torsion spring having its coils encompassing the pivot pin for the hammer means and its arms engaging the hammer means on opposite sides of the pivot pin. One of the arms extends beyond the second free end of the hammer means for engaging a stop means mounted in the housing means when the hammer means is swung by the trigger means. This loads the spring causing it to slam the first free end of the hammer means into engagement with the diaphragm means when the hammer means is released by the trigger means.

The hammer means is preferably made of a light metal, such as aluminum, and includes a nonmetallic, triggerescapement mechanism which also serves as a thrust hearing for the hammer means.

The diaphragm means is preferably made of a thin, tough plastic material, as will be hereinafter more fully described, and is maintained in a fairly taut condition.

In another embodiment of the present invention, a mechanism for shooting a spinning hoop into the air is incorporated into the gun. The spinning hoop is of the type which may be connected to a rotatable shaft provided in the barrel of the gun. The shaft may be wound to tension or torsion spring. The spinning hoop contains detent means for retaining it in position on the shaft against the bias of the torsion spring and is released by sliding the shaft forwardly in the barrel. The hammer means carries lug means engageable with the shaft to slide it forwardly during rotation of the hammer means by the trigger means. Thus, the spinning hoop is released simultaneously with the release of the hammer means by the trigger means.

In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the gun is modified in such a manner that a hoop-firing mechanism may be connected to the end of the barrel of the gun for firing the spinning hoop or, alternatively, the hoop-firing mechanism may be attached to the butt of the gun and used as a shoulder stock for the gun. When so used, the spinning hoop may be fired from the barrel of the gun, if desired.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to like elements in the several views.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a popgun toy constituting a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, partial cross-sectional view taken along line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, partial cross-sectional view taken along line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, partial top-plan view of the gun of FIG. 1 with parts broken away to show internal construction;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view taken along line 55 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 66 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is an exploded, perspective View of the hammer means used in the gun of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a popgun toy of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged, longitudinal cross-sectional view of the gun of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 1tl1tl of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 1111 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view taken along line 1212 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 13 is an enlarged perspective view of an end of the gun of FIG. 9;

FIG. 14 is an enlarged, perspective view of a spinner for use with the gun of FIG. 9;

FIG. 15 is a side elevational view of a combined hoopfiring mechanism and gun stock for the gun constituting the third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 16 is a side elevational view, with parts broken away to show internal construction, of the device of FIG. 15 in combination with the gun constituting the third embodiment of the present invention and a spinning hoop used in conjunction therewith;

FIG. 17 is an elevational view similar to FIG. 16 showing the mechanism of FIG. 15 in position for use as a gun stock on the butt of the gun shown in FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 is an enlarged, elevational view of a detail of construction of the trigger mechanism used in the device of FIG. 15;

FIG. 19 is an enlarged, crosssectional view taken along line 1919 of FIG. 16;

FIG. 20 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view taken along line 2020 of FIG. 16;

FIG. 21 is an enlarged, partial, elevational view taken in the direction of line 2121 of FIG. 16; and

FIG. 22 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view of a hoopfiring mechanism taken along line 22-22 of FIG. 16.

Referring again to the drawings, a popgun toy constituting a first embodiment of the present invention, generally designated 10, includes a housing means 12 which is shown herein for purposes of illustration, but not of limitation, in the form of a simulated rifle having a barrel 14, a receiver 16, a grip 18 and a stock 20. A diaphragm chamber 22 depends from the receiver 16 and includes an inner, frusto-conical member 24 having an encompassing side wall 26, an open bottom 28 and an open top 30. The side wall 26 includes an intermediate sloping portion 32 joined to upper and lower straight portions 34 and 36, respectively, which are engaged by a cylindrical member 38 having an encompassing side wall 40, a closed bottom 42 and an open top 44. The member 38 may be made of a plastic such as styrene by molding techniques and is given a configuration which simulates the drum on a machine gun. The bottom 42 is provided with openings 46 formed by spaced, radially extending ribs 48 for the passage of sound emitted by a percussiondiaphragm means 50 having a peripheral-edge portion 52 which is seated on a substantially fiat, annular land 54 provided on the inner surface on the bottom Wall 42. The edge portion 52 is provided with a plurality of arcuate slots 55 which are engaged by a plurality of upstanding pins 56 provided on the land 54 for maintaining the diaphragm means 50 in a taut condition. In addition, an adhesive weldment 58 secures the edge portion 52 to the land 54 and the lower edge 60 of the member 24 seats against the upper surface of the diaphragm means 50 so that it is firmly anchored within the chamber 22.

The open top 44 of the member 38 is preferably adhesively secured to an annular flange 62 forming the open top 28 in the member 24. This open top facilitates the passage of sound from the chamber 22 and is provided with a plurality of parallel ribs 64 forming a grill enhancing the appearance of the toy 10.

The diaphragm means 50 is caused to emit a rather loud report by striking it a sharp blow with a hammer means 66 which is pivotally mounted in the housing means 12 on a pivot pin 68. The hammer means 66 includes a diaphragm-striking member 70 having a substantially flat base member or portion 72 which is reinforced by upstanding rails 74 and 76 formed by upturning the edges of the base member 72. An aperture 78 is provided in each rail 74 and 76 for swingably mounting the member 70 on the pin 68 intermediate the ends 80 and 82 of the base member 72. The end 82 is provided with a trigger-clearance notch 84 adjacent the rail 74 and the end 89 is provided with 21 depending, hemispherical member 86 which extends over the diaphragm means 50 for imparting blows thereto. The member 70 is preferably made from a light metal, such as aluminum, and is given further lightness by providing the base member 72 with a plurality of apertures 88 so that the member 70 will attain a maximum angular velocity when rotated in a manner to be hereinafter described while retaining sufficient strength and rigidity to withstand repeated impacts with the diaphragm means 50.

The hammer means 66 also includes a spring means 91) having a plurality of coils 92 encompassing the pin 68, a first arm 94 engaging the base member 72 on one side of the pivot pin 68 and another arm 96 engaging the base member 72 on the other side of the pin 68. The arm 96 includes an extending portion 98 which is engageable with a fixed stop member 99 for loading the spring means when the member 70 is swung in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG, 3, by a trigger means 100. Since the arms 94 and 96 both engage the base member 72, the spring means 90 remains unloaded in the sense that it does not bias member 72 about pin 68, until the end 98 is brought into engagement with the fixed stop 99 by swinging the member 70 in a clockwise direction. This is an important feature of the invention because it permits making the diaphragm means 50, the stop member 99 and the bearings for the pin 68 of materials having coldflow characteristics which would become deformed if the spring means 90 was preloaded against them. In addition, preloading the spring means 90 would result in the member 86 being pressed into contact with the diaphragm means 50 after the toy 10 is fired. This would damp the diaphragm means 50 distorting the noise produced thereby. Since the spring means 90 is unloaded after the gun 10 is fired, the member 86 will immediately rebound from the diaphragm means 50 producing a sharper noise than would be the case if the member 86 remained in contact with the diaphragm means 50. Since the member 70 is made of a metallic material, it will not cold-flow under the slight load inherent in the spring means 90 by virtue of the arm 94 and 96 bearing directly on the base portion 72.

It is obvious that, within practical limits, the larger the force developed by the spring means 90, the louder will be the noise produced by the diaphragm means 50. However, a child user of the toy 10 is unable to actuate the trigger means 100 when the spring means 90 develops much more than about 4 lb.-in. of torque. This amount of torque imparts a blow to the diaphragm means 50 of sufiicient magnitude to readily deform the diaphragm means 50 if it was made of a material such as metal of thin enough gage to produce a satisfactory sound. For this reason, the diaphragm means 50 is preferably made of a thin, tough plastic material having low creep or coldflow characteristics. One such material, which is sold by E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Inc., Wilmington 98, Del., under its trademark Mylar, comprises a film of polyethylene terephthalate.

Since the pivot pin 68 is located closer to the end 82 than to the end 80 of the member 70', the end 80 will normally rest on the diaphragm means 50 because of gravity. However, the weight of the member 70 is not sufiicient to significantly load the diaphragm means 50.

The trigger means 100 is pivotally mounted in the housing means 12 by a shaft 101 forming an integral part of the trigger means 101 which includes an arcuate fingerengaging portion 102 on one side of the shaft 101 and a sear 104 on the other side of the shaft 101. The sear 104 is biased toward the end 82 of base member 72 by a light torsion spring 106 having a plurality of coils 108 encom passing the shaft 101, a first arm 110 bearing against the housing means 12 and a second arm 112 engaging a fixed pin 114 provided on the trigger means 100. The trigger means 100 may be conveniently made of a plastic material having a low coefiicient-of-friction such as a product which is sold under the trademark Delrin by the Du Pont Company and which comprises an acetal resin derived by the polymerization of formaldehyde.

The sear 104 swings the member 70 by engaging a scar plate 116 which is also made of a low coefiicient-offriction type material such as Delrin and which includes a saddle portion 118 adapted to straddle the rail 74 adjacent the notch 84. The saddle portion 118 is provided with an aperture 120 adapted to engage the pin 68 for retaining the member 116 in position on the member 70. With this arrangement, the saddle portion 118 also serves as a thrust bearing for the member 70. The member 116 also includes a plate portion 122 which extends from the saddle portion 118 at substantially right angles thereto. The plate portion 122 includes a beveled front edge 124 forming a ramp upon which the sear 104 slides during actuation of the hammer means 66. The plate portion 122 covers the notch 84 providing support for the sear 104 during a gun firing operation. At the end of the gun firing operation, the sear 104 is relieved upwardly through the notch 84 by swinging the sear plate 116 about pin 68 upwardly against the tension of a leaf spring 126 formed integrally with the plate portion 122 and tapering from a cross section equal to that of the plate portion 122 to a very thin cross section at its free end 128. The spring 126 returns the plate portion 122 to its normal position covering the notch 84 once the sear 104 passes therethrough.

The arm 96 of spring means 90 is prevented from moving laterally within the housing means 12 by the rail 76 and an abutment member 130. The abutment member 130 may be formed integrally with the housing means 12 and extends over and behind the fixed stop means 99.

Use of the toy will be readily understood. In normal position, the means 86 on the member 70 rests lightly on the diaphragm means 50. This positions the end 82 of the member 70 closely adjacent and slightly below the sear 104 on trigger means 100 which is biased to the broken line position shown in FIG. 3 by trigger spring 106. The end 98 of spring means 90 does not now engage element 99 and therefore does not apply a load to the member 70 so that the means 86 exerts an insignificant force on the diaphragm means 50.

The toy 10 is fired by squeezing the trigger means 100 rotating it in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 3. This rotation brings the sear 104 into engagement with the ramp 124 on the plate 122. The member 70 then begins its rotation in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 3. Initial rotation of the member 70 brings the end 98 of spring means 90 into engagement with the fixed stop 99 so that continued rotation of the member '70 loads the spring means 90. At this point, the member 70 has rotated sufificiently to cause the sear 104 to slide up the ramp 124 into firm engagement with the plate portion 122 which provides sufficient surface to carry the load imparted to the member 70 by the sear 104. When the member 70 and the trigger means 100 reach the positions shown in FIG. 3 in solid lines, the spring means 90 is loaded biasing the member 70 in a counterclockwise direction and the sear 104 is ready to slide off the ramp 124 releasing the member 70. Upon release, the spring means 90 drives the member 70 in a counterclockwise direction causing the member 86 to strike the diaphragm means with considerable force producing a loud report. Rotation of the member 70 in a counterclockwise direction until it hits diaphragm means releases the end 98 of arm 96 from contact with the stop 99 unloading spring means 90. This permits the member 86 to immediately rebound from the diaphragm means 50 minimizing damping thereof.

When trigger means 100 is released, the torsion spring 106 rotates it in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 3, to its broken line position. During this rotation, the sear 104 is relieved up through the notch 84 flexing the plate portion 122 upwardly so that the saddle portion 118 rotates in a counterclockwise direction about the pin 68 against the resistance of leaf spring 126. As soon as the sear 104 clears the member 70, the spring 126 returns the plate portion .122 to its normal position covering the notch 84 and providing a bearing surface for the sear 104.

Referring now more in particular to FIGS. 8-14, a popgun toy constituting a second embodiment of the present invention, generally designated 10a, includes a housing means 12a which is shown herein for purposes of illustration, but not of limitation, in the form of a simulated pistol having a barrel 14a, a receiver 16a, a pistol grip 18a, and a fore grip 18b.

A diaphragm chamber 22a is provided on top of the receiver 16a and includes an inner frusto-conical member 24a having an encompassing sidewall 26a, an open bottom 28a, and an open top 30a. The sidewall 26a includes an intermediate sloping portion 32a joined to upper and lower straight portions 34a and 36a, respectively, which are engaged by a cylindrical member 38a having an encompassing sidewall 40a, an open bottom 42a and a closed top 44a. The member 38a may be made of a plastic such as styrene by molding techniques and may be given a configuration which simulates the drum of a machine gun. The closed top 44:: is provided with an opening 46a for the passage of sound produced 'by a percussiondiaphragm means 50a having a peripheral-edge portion 52a which is seated on a substantially flat, annular land 54a provided on the undersurface of the top wall 44a. The edge portion 52a is provided with a plurality of arcuate slots 55a which are engaged by a plurality of depending pins 56a provided on the land 54a for maintaining the diaphragm means 50a in a taut condition. In addition, an adhesive weldment 58a secures the edge portion 52a to the land 54a and the upper edge 60a of the member 24a seats against the lower surface of the diaphragm means 50a so that it is firmly anchored within the chamber 22a. The appearance of the toy 10a may be enhanced by mounting a simulated sight member 64a superjacent the chamber 22a.

The diaphragm means 50a is caused to emit a rather loud report by striking it a sharp blow with a hammer means 66a which is pivotally mounted in the housing means 12a on a pivot pin 68a. The hammer means 66a includes a diaphragm-striking member 70a having a substantially flat base member or portion 72a which is reinforced by depending rails 74a and 76a formed by downturning the edges of the base member 72a. An aperture 78a is provided in each rail 74a and 76a for swingably mounting the member 70a on the pin 68a intermediate the ends 80a and 82a of the base member 72a. The end 80a is provided with an outwardly struck tab 84a formed by bending the end 7412 of the rail 74a over on right angles to the rail 74a and the end 82a is provided with an upstanding hemispherical member 86a which extends to a position subjacent the diaphragm means 50a for imparting blows thereto. The member 70a is preferably made from a light metal, such as aluminum, so that the member 700 will attain a maximum angular velocity when rotated in a manner to be hereinafter described while retaining sufficient strength and rigidity to withstand repeated impacts upon the diaphragm means 50a.

The hammer means 66a also includes a spring means 90a having a plurality of coils 92a encompassing the pin 68a, a first arm 94a engaging the base portion 72a on one side of the pivot pin 68a and another end 96a engaging the base portion 72a on the other side of the pin 68a. The arm 96a includes an extending portion 98a which is engageable with a fixed stop member 99a for loading the spring means 90a when the member 70a is swung in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 9, by a trigger means 100a. Since the arms 94a and 96a both engage the base portion 72a, the spring means 90a remains unloaded at all times until the hammer means 66a is swung in a clockwise direction past the fixed stop 99a leaving the end 98a in firm engagement therewith. This is an important feature of the invention because it permits making the diaphragm means 50a, the stop member 99a and the bearings for the pins 68:: of materials having cold-flow characteristics which would become deformed if the spring means 90a was preloaded. In addition, preloading the spring means 90a would result in the member 86a remaining in contact with the diaphragm means 50a after the toy a is fired. This would damp the diaphragm means 50a distorting the noise produced thereby. Since the spring means 90a is unloaded upon firing the gun toy 10a, the member 86a immediately rebounds from the diaphragm means 50a producing a sharper noise than would be the case if the member 86a remained in contact with the diaphragm means 50a.

It is obvious that, within practical limits, the larger the force developed by the spring means 901;, the louder the noise produced by the diaphragm means 50a. However, a child user of the toy 10a is unable to actuate the trigger means 100a satisfactorily when the spring means 900 develops much more than 4 lb.-in. of torque. This amount of torque imparts a blow to the diaphragm means 50a of sufficient magnitude that the diaphragm means 50a would become readily deformed if it were made of a material such as metal of thin enough gage to produce a satisfactory sound. For this reason, the diaphragm means 50a is preferably made of a thin, tough plastic material having low cold-flow characteristics. One such material comprises a film of polyethylene terephthalate sold by the Du Pont Company under its trademark Mylar.

The trigger means 100a is pivotally mounted in the housing means 12a by shaft 101a and includes an arcuate, finger-engaging portion 102a on one side of the shaft 101a and an offset sear 104a on the other side of the shaft 101a. The scar 104a is biased toward the end 82a of the plate 72a by a light torsion spring 106a having a plurality of coils 108a encompassing the shaft 101a, a first arm 110a bearing against a stop 12b in the housing means 12a and a second arm 112a engaging a fixed pin 114a provided on the trigger means 100a. The trigger means 100a may be conveniently made of plastic material having a low coeflicient-of-friction such as an acetal resin product sold under the trademark Delrin by the Du Pont Co.

The sear 104a swings the member 70a by engaging a sear plate 116:: which is also made of a low coeificientof-friction type material. The sear plate 116a is provided with an aperture 120a adapted to engage the pin 68a for retaining the plate 116a in position along side the member 70a. In such a position, the plate 116a also serves as a thrust bearing for the member 70a. The plate 116a includes a plate portion 122a which extends rearwardly in parallel, spaced relationship with the member 70a. The plate portion 122a includes a rounded edge portion 124a permitting the sear 104a to slide past the plate portion 122a when the member 7011 reaches a fully cocked position. The plate 116a is provided with a notch 124b at its end remote from the plate 122a which engages the tab 84a for rotating the member 70a. A longitudinal slot 1240 extends from the notch 124b along the plate 116a forming a leaf spring 126a permitting the plate 116a to be swung around pin 68a providing clearance for the sear 104a to return to its normal, spring-biased position after a firing operation has been completed.

The plate 116a is provided with a laterally extending pin engageable with a button-head 142 provided on a push rod 14 reciprocably mounted in the barrel 14a. The pin 140 slides the push rod 144 in the direction of arrow 146 against the bias of a leaf spring 148 having one end 150 connected to the rod 144 and another end 152 affixed to a pin 154 provided in the fore grip 18b. The spring 148 returns the rod 144 to its FIG. 9 position after it has been displaced in the direction of arrow 146 by the pin 140. The rod 144 is nonrotatably journaled in partition members 156 provided in the barrel 14a and includes an end 158 to which the end 159 of a rotatable shaft 160 is rotatably connected by a collet 162. The other end 164 of the shaft 160 carries a crank socket 166 adapted to receive the crank teeth 168 provided on a rotatable hoop 170 which may be rotated while in position on the end 164 to tension a torsion'spring 172 storing energy therein. The torsion spring 172 has a plurality of coils 174 encompassing the shaft 160, a first end 176 connected to the shaft 160 and a second end 178 connected to the barrel 14a. The hoop 170 retains the spring 172 in a compressed condition by detent means 180 provided on a hub portion 182 which engage arcuate leaf springs 184 mounted in the end 186 of the barrel 14a. The hoop 170 includes a plurality of fan blades 187 extending radially from the hub portion 182 to a circular band 188 forming the outer periphery of the hoop 170. When the shaft 144 is moved in the direction of arrow 146, it releases the detent means 168 unloading the spring 172 permitting it to rapidly rotate the shaft 160 which, in turn, rapidly rotates the hoop 170 which is then pulled through the air by the fan blades 187.

Referring now more in particular to FIGS. 15-22, a popgun toy constituting a third embodiment of the present invention, generally designated 10b, is identical to the popgun toy 10a except that the butt end 190 of the gun 10b is provided with an external thread 192 adapted to receive an internal thread 194 provided in the end 196 of a combined hoop-firing and gun-stock assembly 198, when it is desired to use the assembly 198 as a gun stock, as shown in FIG. 17. The gun 10b also differs from the gun 10a in that its push rod 144 is replaced by a push rod 1441; having an end 158b extending beyond a partition member 15612 toward the end 1861) of barrel 14b and in that the end 15812 is not connected to the end 15% of a rotatable shaft 16% which replaces the shaft 160. Additionally, the gun 10b differs from the gun 10a in that the end 1861? of the gun 10b is provided with an internal thread 200 which may be engaged by an external thread 202 provided on the butt end 204 of the assembly 198 for connecting it to the end 18611 of the gun 10b, as shown in FIG. 16.

The assembly 198 includes a housing 206 defining a barrel 208 and a piston grip 210. The pistol grip 210 serves as a pistol grip when the assembly 198 is in its FIG. 16 position and as a butt plate on a gun stock when the assembly 198 is in its FIG. 17 position. The housing 206 includes a right-hand housing half 212 which is provided with a cylindrical, hollow boss 214 which may be engaged by a mating cylindrical member 216 provided on a left-hand housing half 218 for connecting the hous ing halves together. The assembly 198 also includes a first partition member 220 mounted in the barrel 208 adjacent the internal threads 194 and a second partition member 222 mounted in the end 204 adjacent the external threads 202. A push rod 224 is reciprocably mounted in the partitions 220 and 222 and includes a first end 226 which may be engaged by the end 15812 of the rod 144b when the assembly 198 is connected to the gun 10b in the position shown in FIG. 16. The push rod 224 also includes an end 228 engageable with the end 15% of the push rod 160!) to fire a spinning hoop 17% from a crank socket 166!) provided on the end 16412 of shaft 16% when the hoop 1701) is connected to the end 196 of the assembly 198. This connection is accomplished by engaging external threads 230, which are provided on the end 232 of a housing assembly 234 for the shaft 160b, with the internal threads 194. The shaft 160]) is rotatably mounted in the housing assembly 234 in a sleeve 236 and is connected to a torsion spring 1721) having a plurality of coils 17412 encompassing the shaft 160b, a first end 176b connected to the shaft 16% and a second end 1781; connected to the sleeve 236.

The hoop 17% may be rotated while in position on the end 1641) to tension the spring 172!) storing energy therein and may be retained in a rotated position against the bias of the spring 1721) in an identical manner and by means identical to the detent means 180 and arcuate leaf springs 184 previously described in connection with gun a.

The push rod 224 in assembly 198 may also be reciprocated into engagement with the shaft 16% by a trigger means 238 which is connected to the push rod 224 by a leaf spring 340 having a first end 242 connected to the push rod 224 intermediate its end 226 and a saddle member 244 provided thereon and a second end 246 connected to the trigger means 238 intermediate its ends 248 and 250. The trigger means is pivotally mounted in the housing 206 on pivot pins 252 formed integraly with the trigger means 238 adjacent the end 246 of spring 240. The end 248 of trigger means 238 may then be seated in the saddle member 244 with the end 250 of trigger 238 abutting a partition 252, provided in the grip 210, against the bias imparted to the trigger means 238 by the spring 240 when it is bowed to the position shown in broken lines in FIG. 18. The push rod 224, the trigger means 238 and the spring 240 may be conveniently molded in a single operation as an integral unit from a suitable plastic material, such as polypropylene.

When the assembly 198 is connected to the gun 10b in the manner shown in FIG. 16, the spinning hoop 1701) may be fired by either squeezing the trigger means 100a on gun 10b or by squeezing the trigger means 238 provided on the assembly 198. However, when the assembly 198 is connected to the gun 10b as shown in FIG. 17, the assembly 198 serves as a shoulder stock while the hoop 1701; may be fired only by squeezing the trigger means 100a on the gun 101).

While the particular gun toys herein shown and described in detail are fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that they are merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown other than as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A toy gun comprising:

a housing;

a percussion-diaphragm means in said housing;

a substantially rigid hammer mounted in said housing for free unrestrained movement to and from said diaphragm whereby it may come to rest in engagement therewith;

separate spring means arranged to engage an abutment in said housing and exert a biasing force directly on said hammer for projecting said hammer toward said diaphragm;

means responsive to said hammer reaching a predetermined position relative to said diaphragm, before striking the same, for disengaging said spring from said abutment thereby disabling said spring means from continuing to apply a biasing force to said hammer whereby only the momentum of the hammer causes it to strike the diaphragm; and

trigger means for selectively retracting said hammer from said diaphragm past said predetermined position to again subject said hammer to said biasing force.

2. A toy as stated in claim 1 including a pivot pin mounted in said housing, said hammer means being swingably mounted intermediate its ends on said pivot pin and wherein said spring means comprises a torsion spring having coils encompassing said pivot pin, a first arm engaging said hammer means on one side of said pin and a second arm engaging said hammer means on the other side of said pin, one of said arms extending beyond said hammer means for engagement with said abutment to tension said spring means only when said hammer means is swung in a predetermined direction by said trigger means.

3. A toy as stated in claim 1 wherein said hammer means comprises:

a substantially flat plate having a trigger-relieving notch provided at one end and a depending protuberance provided at its other end;

pivot pin means rotatably mounting said plate intermediate said ends; and

bearing plate means rotatably mounted on said pin for covering said notch when said trigger means engages said fiat plate for loading said spring means and for rotation away from said notch to relieve said trigger means up through said notch after said trigger means has completed a loading operation.

4. A toy as stated in claim 1 wherein said trigger means is rotatably mounted in said housing means and includes a fixed stop member and torsion spring means having a first arm engaging said housing means and a second arm engaging said fixed stop member for biasing said trigger means to a predetermined position, said trigger stop member being engageable with said housing means for retaining said trigger means in a predetermined normal position against the bias of said trigger spring.

5. A popgun toy, comprising:

housing means, said housing means including a carrier portion;

frusto-conical diaphragm chamber means depending from said carrier portion, said chamber means having an open bottom;

outer diaphragm chamber means having an open top and a perforated bottom, said outer chamber means encompassing said inner chamber means;

diaphragm means secured between said open bottom of said inner chamber means and said bottom wall of said outer chamber means;

pivot pin means provided in said housing means adjacent said inner chamber means;

hammer means pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on said pivot pin means, one of said ends extending to a position superjacent said diaphragm means;

trigger means swingably mounted in said housing means, said trigger means including a scar extending to a position closely adjacent the end of said hammer means which is remote from said one end for engagement therewith to rotate said hammer means; and

spring means for biasing said one end of said hammer means into engagement with said diaphragm means upon rotation of said hammer means a predetermined amount by said trigger means, said spring means being unloaded until said hammer means is rotated by said trigger means.

6. A toy as stated in claim 5 wherein said hammer means comprises an aluminum plate having a depending hemispherical portion at said one end and a trigger relieving notch at said remote end and wherein said spring means comprises a torsion spring having coils encompassing said pivot pin, a first arm engaging said plate and extending toward said one end on one side of said pivot pin and a second arm engaging said plate and extending beyond said remote end on the other side of said pivot pin, said second arm extending into engagement with said housing means for loading said spring when said trigger means rotates said hammer means said predetermined amount, said hammer means including sear plate means swingably mounted on said pivot pin superjacent said notch, said sear plate being engageable by said sear when said hammer means is rotated thereby to load said spring means, said sear plate being rotatable about said pivot pin to permit passage of said sear through said notch during return of said sea-r to its normal position after said sear has rotated said hammer means said predetermined amount.

7. A toy as stated in claim 6 wherein said trigger means and said sear plate are made of a plastic material having low coeflicient-of-friction and wherein said spring means exerts 4 in.-lbs. of torque on said hammer means when said spring means is loaded.

8. A toy as stated in claim 7 including shaft means rotatably mounted in said gun, torsion spring means encompassing said rotatable shaft means and having one end connected to said shaft means and another end connected to said housing means, fan means connectable to said shaft means for rotating said shaft means to store energy in said shaft spring means and release means engageable by said hammer means for releasing said fan means by rapidly unloading said shaft spring means when said hammer means is actuated.

9. A toy as stated in claim 1 wherein said housing means includes a barrel having internal threads provided at the end thereof, a butt portion having external threads provided thereon and wherein said toy includes a hoopfiring and stock assembly including a barrel and a butt end, external threads provided on said butt end of said assembly and internal threads provided in the end of said barrel of said assembly, said internal threads on said assembly being engageable with said external threads on said gun for connecting said assembly to the butt end of said gun for use as a stock, said external threads on said assembly being engageable with said internal threads on said gun for connecting said assembly to the barrel of said gun and wherein said toy also includes rotatable hoop means having external threads engageable with the internal threads of said assembly when it is in position on said barrel and with the internal threads of said barrel when said assembly is in said stock-forming position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 785,874 3/1905 Gould 46-192 XR 1,205,498 11/1916 Willett 46191 1,353,138 9/1920 Baisch et al 46-191 XR 2,435,217 2/ 1948 Howell. 2,892,287 6/ 1959 Weinstein 46-84 XR FOREIGN PATENTS 241,195 4/1911 Germany. 615,830 1/1927 Germany.

LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner.

SETH NATTER, Assistant Examiner. 

